Varanasi, or Benaras, (also known as Kashi) is the most important pilgrimage destination of India. Benaras is well known for religious culture and as a tourist place as well. Lot of tourists visits Benaras for its ghats. Benaras`sghatim.jpg (18139 bytes) Prominence in Hindu mythology is virtually unrevealed. Mark Twain, the English author and literature, who was enthralled by the legend and sanctity of Benaras, once wrote : "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together".

According to the 'Vamana Purana', the Varuna and the Assi rivers originated from the body of the primordial Person at the beginning of time itself. The tract of land lying between them is believed to be 'Benaras', the holiest of all pilgrimages.

Benaras is one of the most important pilgrimage in India and also a major tourist attraction. Situated on the banks of the sacred Ganges, Benaras has been a center of learning and civilisation for over 2000 years. 25 centuries ago Lord Buddha preached his message of enlightment for the first time in Sarnath which is just 10kms away from Benaras.

Later Benaras became a great Hindu center, but was looted a number of times by Muslim invaders from the 11th century on. These destructive visits climaxed with that of the Mughal emperor, Aurangazeb, who destroyed almost all the temples and converted the most famous one into a mosque. Benaras has also been known as Kashi and Benares, but its present name is restoration of an ancient name meaning the city between two rivers - the Varuna and Asi. For the pious Hindu the city has always had a special place.